NPR: The Truth Behind The Suicide Statistic For Older Teen Girls
“…The number one cause of death around the world for older teen girls had shifted from maternal mortality to ‘self-harm.’ … But curiously, the shift doesn’t reflect a sudden increase in self-harm. What it does reflect is a bit of good news: Maternal mortality has been dropping. … And in the age range of 15 to 19, the rate of death from maternal conditions fell from 15.74 per 100,000 in 2000 to 9.72 in 2012. Rates of suicide have also been dropping in that same time period, but the rate is still high enough to outpace maternal mortality among females 15 to 19…” (Brink, 6/2).